Chilli Festival Araluen Botanic Park, Roleystone, WA
It was about 47degrees in the shade and we were at a chilli festival in the gorgeous botanic gardens of Araluen Botanic Park, Roleystone. Despite the heat of the sun we tried and tasted so much chilli in all forms that at some stage it just all merged into one big hot, hot, hot afternoon.
You can imagine our joy when we found a bit of relief in some iced tea . . . sort of, it was Chilli Iced Tea of course!
Every single taste bud on our tongues were screaming for some respite from the heat, and when we took that first sip of the icy tea it was heavenly, until it wasn’t!
The icy cold sweet tea was super icy and absolutely delicious and it took about 6 seconds for the punch to hit. And boy did it hit! I don’t know what chilis were used – but it was a crisp heat – probably like a tiny Thai chili, not a smokey smooth heat you get from a chipotle or habanero.
So there we were, sweating and breathing heavily through our mouths and yet we simply could not stop – that bloody delicious chilli iced tea had us!
Over the years I’ve tried to recreate it – I think I’m close . . . because it’s Chilli Month at Mort&Pestle, I thought I’d share the recipe.
Chilli Iced Tea
- 1 cup chilli sugar syrup (recipe below)
- 6 teabags (regular, favourite tea)
- Pinch of bi-carb soda
- 2 cups boiling water
- 6 cups cold water
- Lots of ice
In a large heat proof jug, add the pinch of bicarb soda, 6 teabags and 2 cups boiling water.
Steep the tea for 5 minutes, discard teabags.
Add 1 cup chilli sugar syrup and 6 cups cold water.
Chill in fridge until cold.
When ready to serve, add lots of ice to your glass and enjoy!
Chilli Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups water
- 12+ Thai chillis, chopped – heat is up to you!
Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer until reduced to one cup (about 15mins)
Add more or less sugar syrup depending on sweetness.
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